Index of Wills and Administrations

[Phil Carter]

Hello all,

For those who find this of interest, herewith a list of some of the policemen from the Index of Wills and Administrations 1861-1941, England and Wales.
In terms of a list, amount highest to lowest..

Alexander Carmichael Bruce, d. 1926 £13,832 15s 1d

Melville MacNaghten, d. 1921 £13,017 3s 3d

John George Littlechild, d. 1923 £9,712 18s 7d

Robert Anderson, d. 1918 £9,521 1s 3d

Charles Warren, d. 1927 £4,504 8s 8d (then twice resworn)

Adolphus Williamson, d. 1889 £1,887 12s 7d

Thomas Arnold, d.1907 £892 14s 6d (then resworn)

Frederick Abberline, d. 1929 £317 4s 6d

Donald Swanson, d. 1924 £234 14s 0d

James Monro, d. 1920 Sealed

Emma Abberline d. 1930 £66. 6s 3d

Emma Abberline's effects are added here as she died only 3 months after her husband. The sum had reduced in that time by just over £250, the estate being only just over 20% of the value it was 3 months earlier.

Perhaps some of you may find this of some interest.

kindly

Phil

[lynn cates]

money matters

Hello Phil. Nice work.

Is it just me or do those with Scottish surnames seem to hold on to their money better? (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[Phil Carter]

Hello all,

Does anybody know the answer to the following questions?

1) Is there a time limit for a sealed will to remain sealed?

2) To whom does one apply to in order to see the contents of a long ago sealed document of this type (i.e. James Monro)

3) Is there a different interpretation in law for any British Citizen dying outside England? (i.e. Scotland, Wales etc- even though again for example Monro's last address is Chiswick, West London)
4) Legally, what are the known reasons for a will to be sealed?
And finally
5) Do convicts such as murderers have sealed wills? (No, I dont mean Monro incase some of you saw an opportunity to have a jibe ready)

I would very much appreciate a swift answer to any or all of these questions- if possible.
Many thanks.

Best wishes

Phil

[Bridewell]

Sealed Wills

Hello all,

Does anybody know the answer to the following questions?

1) Is there a time limit for a sealed will to remain sealed?

2) To whom does one apply to in order to see the contents of a long ago sealed document of this type (i.e. James Monro)

3) Is there a different interpretation in law for any British Citizen dying outside England? (i.e. Scotland, Wales etc- even though again for example Monro's last address is Chiswick, West London)
4) Legally, what are the known reasons for a will to be sealed?
And finally
5) Do convicts such as murderers have sealed wills? (No, I dont mean Monro incase some of you saw an opportunity to have a jibe ready)

I would very much appreciate a swift answer to any or all of these questions- if possible.
Many thanks.

Best wishes

Phil

Hi Phil,

Don't know. Sorry.

I confess to never having heard of sealed wills & am bemused at the concept. Presumably the content has to be noted at some point, by somebody, in order for the wishes therein expressed to be carried out? What exactly is sealed and when? In Monro's case - why?

Regards, Bridewell.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Phil,

Nothing sinister.

Usually it means that a will has been probated outside of England/Wales but there is property/money here.

Inquiries re Monro are in hand.

Regards,

Simon

[Phil Carter]

Hello Simon, Bridewell

Many thanks for your help re Monro and sealed wills.
Have briefly looked into sealed wills that are connected to Royalty and it appears bequests to illegitimate children going back to Edward VII in 1910, who got what jewellry and Queen Mary instigating the 'norm' of sealed Royal Wills. Nothing to do with our conundrum but one interesting point is that all sealed wills have to be applied for and approved by a senior judge. Have tried to find such an application for JM but without luck.
In addition. As I understand it, the family can apply for a will to remain sealed, one of the reasons supposedly being as acceptable is proof of public knowledge 'not being in the National interest'.
Now where have I heard that before?

As a sidenote, apparently Colin Kendall, when writing his book published in 2010, apparently talked to JM's grandson, Christopher. He related a tale to CK that his father had told him that JM was 'convinced the killer was Druitt' and that Druitt's brother William, told JM that if his brother's name came out, William would reveal names of men involved in homosexual activity in the high circles of parliament, peers and the church, amongst others.
This is of course 3rd hand hand me down heresay, but as it is a book I do not posess, do not know if there is anything to back this up. Sounds a bit sensationalistic to me and I note yet another atattempt to keep one of the named 4 in the spotlight of the Merry go round.

On that sidenote. i drifted into the Met Police Archives page, and was astounded and amused that the Met Police site today state that there are only 4 serious suspects as JTR- Druitt, Kosminski, Ostrog and Tumblety. Do take a read of their summary of the case- it really does make you wonder. The wikipedia page of James Monro is interesting too...

but back to sealed wills...

Best wishes

Phil

[Simon Wood]

Hi Phil,

Regarding the assertion of Monro's grandson, as told to Colin Kendall: Bishop Stephen Neill, James Monro's maternal grandson, made no such claim in his autobiography.

He merely noted that, in the matter of Monro's 1890 resignation, his grandfather had been given the bum's rush by Home Secretary Henry Matthews.

Of course, Bishop Stephen Neill put it far more politely.

Regards,

Simon

[Phil Carter]

Hello Simon,

With eclesiastical soothing balm no doubt!

Best wishes

Phil

[John Savage]

Hi Phil,

In answer to your question [2].

Copies of wills and letters of administration can be obtained via Ancestry.com or from Her Majesty's Court Service. H.M. Court Service charge around GBP5-10 each if you let them have all the details shown in the National Probate Calendars.

This link may help:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/probate/family-history

Rgds
John

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Phil, very, very interesting finds. Remarkable how broke some of these guys were.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Phil Carter]

Hi Phil,

In answer to your question [2].

Copies of wills and letters of administration can be obtained via Ancestry.com or from Her Majesty's Court Service. H.M. Court Service charge around GBP5-10 each if you let them have all the details shown in the National Probate Calendars.

This link may help:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/probate/family-history

Rgds
John

Hello John,

Many thanks indeed for the information. The question remains if a sealed will is accessible after 92 years. Any letters of Administration may well be sealed as well if a judge has deemed it so..I will give them a call later today.

Best wishes

Phil

[Phil Carter]

Hello Tom,

Thanks- yes- the differing values are intruiging, given the background of each individual,

best wishes

Phil